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PATENT OFFICE.

-IUDSON MAXIM OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

HIGH EXPLOSIVE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 544,924, dated August 20, 1895.

Application filed July 7, 1894- Berialflo. 518,858- (No specimens.)

To all who'mit may concern: v Be it known the-t1, HUDSON MAXIM, a citize'nof the United States-of America, residing in the-city, county, and State of New York, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements'in High Explosives,of whichthe following is a specification. The object of my invention is to prepare an explosive compound particularly for use in shells or torpedoes to be thrown from ordnance with safety, using g'unpowderas a propellant; also t'o-prqduce an explosive which shall possess as much power as possible for the space occupied'by it'-that is, one whose specific gravity shall be as greatas possible. In carrying out my invention I first prepare a compound of nitroglycerin-and soluble or gelatinpyroxylin. This may be done by dissoiv'i .gf'the' pyroxylin directly in the prefer to combine the pyroxylin with the nitroglycerin by means of a solvent in the manner well known in the manufacture of smokeless powder. I prefer to employ from seventy to eighty per cent;.' of nitroglycerin andfrom twentyto thirty per cent. of pyroxylin. The product is a' colloid of pyro xylin and nitroglycerin having'ayield ing or elastic character. This I reduce-to a fine state of division by cutting, rasping, or pulping. To this granular compoundI then add, preferably, from twcntyto twenty-five per cept. of military or insoluble pyroxylin in a fine state of divisiori,and water equal to fifteen to twenty per cent. of the total weight,

according to the insensitiveriess that may be desired.

The object of the fibrous gun cotton is to lessen the sensitiveness of the colloid of nitroglycerin and pyroxylin and at the same time constitute a. medium forcarryinga larger percentage of water than the said granulated colloid would contain it employed 'without the.

fibrous gun cotton. The fibrous gun cotton also serves to preserve the granular structure and porosity of the compound, in that it separates the grains of the colloid and prevents them from sticking together in a solid mass, which would then not con-Lain water, espechilly when a very large per cent. of nitroglycerin-say eighty per cent-be employed in the colloid.v

I am aware that it has beenproposed to combine fibrous gnu cotton with soluble pyroxylin and nitroglycerin by means of a com- -of the explosive material men and volatile solvent of the soluble pyroxylin andnitroglycerin; but by such process the pores of the military or insoluble pyroxylin are filled with the solution of soluble pyroxylin and nitroglycerin, so that if the same be granulated or reduced to a fine state of division the pores of the fibrous gun cotton being filled would not absorb or hold wator,- as is accomplished in my invention by the employment of fibrous gun cotton in its original porous state. The grains of this mixture would also stick together in mass form, and thus defeat one of the objects of this improvement. I have found also that I obtain higher explosive results and without adding materially to the sensitivencss of the com- ,p und by soaking-the compound in a solution of nitrateof ammonia, nitrate of sodium, or some other oxygen-bearing salt, so that its fibers or poreswill hold such solulicn in suspension. This may he done in any acceptable manner; but I usually proceed as follows: The compound is taken from the pulping-machine, wrung as dry ns'prnclicable in a centrifugal machine, and is then placed in bags and immersed in a bath of asolution of nitrate ofarnmonimprcferably heated; When the compound is thoroughly saturated, the liquid may be extracted 'bya centrifugal machine while the material is yet hot; but I prefor to allow the compound to cool and a portion of the nitrate cf amu'ro'nia or other salt to thereby crystallize within the pores and fibers before wringing.

What I claim i s'- 1. 'The herein described explosive compound, consisting of an intimate mechanical nixture, in a fine state of division, of an exploaive colloid of 'gun cotton and nitro glycerin, and wet fibrous gun cotton.

2. The herein described explosive compound, consisting ofv an intimate mechanical mixture in a 'fine state of division, of an explosivepolloid of gun cotton and nit-r0 glycerin, and fibrorrs. gun cotton holding in sus pension in its p'oresa solution of an oxygen bearing salt such as'nitrate of ammonia.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presenceiof two witnesses.

nonson' MAXIM. Witnesses:

Gso. H. GRAHAM,

E. L. TODD. 

